UNION OF INDIA Vs. OM PRAKASH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The challenge in this writ petition is to an order dated January 30, 2020 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, whereby the Tribunal has allowed the Original Application ('O.A.', in short) and directed the petitioners herein to grant the respondents the second ACP benefits from due dates on notional basis and revise their pension payment order and pay the pension accordingly. The arrears have been limited to the last three years i.e., w.e.f. January 01, 2017 onwards without any interest.

(2.) The facts as noted from the record are, the respondents were appointed as Compositor Grade-II in Letter Press Unit ('LPU', in short), Government of India Press, Minto Road, New Delhi in the pay scale of Rs.3050.00?4590/- (revised) at various points of time. The respondent No.1 was appointed on October 23, 1972, the respondent No.2 was appointed on October 16, 1974 and the respondent No.3 was appointed on July 30, 1979. The next promotion post was that of Compositor Grade-I, which carried the pay scale of Rs.4000.00?6000/-.

(3.) It is the case of the parties that due to technological changes, the LPU in the press which was manually operated got changed to Photo Litho Unit ('PLU' in short), which is basically a computer based system. The respondents were declared surplus in LPU and were re-deployed to the PLU. The designation in PLU was corresponding to the designation of Compositor Grade-I in LPU, called Offset Plate Maker and it was also in the pay scale of Rs.4000.00?6000, i.e., same as that of Compositor Grade-I. All the respondents were redeployed as Offset Plate Maker between January 08, 1998 to January 10, 1998. This was the first financial upgradation granted to the respondents.